One New Species and new record of Hydropunctaria in Korea

One New Species and new record of Hydropunctaria in Korea

 

Ji-Zhen Jin and Jae-Seoun Hur *

 

Korean Lichen Research Institute (KoLRI), Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea

*Email: jshur1@scnu.ac.kr

 

The genus Hydropunctaria, established by Gueidan in 2009, initially included four species, with H. maura designated as the type species. The genus is characterized by a crustose thallus that becomes subgelatinous when wet, often featuring black punctae or columns. A defining feature is the algal layer, where photobiont cells are typically arranged in vertical columns, and ascospores with median lengths usually ranging from 10 – 18 µm. To date, the genus comprises 11 species.

In this study, we investigated species diversity within Hydropunctaria by constructing a phylogenetic tree based on three ribosomal DNA regions: ITS, mtSSU, and LSU. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed a distinct and well-supported clade, representing a previously undescribed species, H. sp.1, which is also morphologically distinguishable from all known concepts. Additionally, we report a new record of H. nipponoamphibia, marking its first documented occurrence in South Korea.

The newly identified species, H. sp.1, exhibits unique morphological traits. It is a freshwater-dwelling species, sometimes submerged, with a thallus surface that displays fewer cracks but numerous distinct black ridges. Compared to H. nipponoamphibia, it has fewer punctae scattered randomly across the thallus. Upon maturation, its perithecia protrude conspicuously from the thallus in a conical shape. 

[This study was supported by Sunchon National University Glocal University Project Fund in 2025. (Grant number: 2025-G041) and the Hanam National Institute of Biological Resources (HNIBR) (Grant No. HNIBR202101111) ]